updated 02:05 pm EDT, Thu May 12, 2011

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos hints at tablet coming

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos in an interview later on Wednesday effectively confirmed plans for an Amazon-branded tablet. When asked, he used cautious language and said customers should "stay tuned" on what Amazon would do. He explained to Consumer Reports that the company would be "mindful" of keeping devices like the Kindle but couldn't confirm or deny what was coming down the pipeline.

"In terms of any other product introductions, I shouldn't answer," Bezos said.

Recent leaks have had a tablet well into development with Quanta as the contract manufacturer producing the hardware for a second-half 2011 release. It may have been designed by Samsung with Amazon mostly providing feedback and the software side. Android would be a virtual certainty given Amazon's exclusive apps, such as Amazon MP3 and the Amazon Appstore.

The entry into tablets would be a self-contradiction for Amazon, which has more than once jabbed the iPad its relatively unsuitability to reading. Without a major improvement in touchscreen anti-glare technology or color e-paper, Amazon would be introducing the same issues. Amazon has also usually tried to portray itself as focused on books.

Circumstances may have forced Amazon's hand. Although the Kindle app is often more popular than Apple's own iBooks on the iPad, Amazon has been missing out on some device sales as more start reading on iPads. Barnes & Noble has also been thriving with the Nook Color and left Amazon without a real option for color magazines and newspapers.

that and just being forced off iOS

Apple's rules - at least so far, are going to ban apps like the Kindle - yes Apple has a long history of making exceptions to its rules.

But without speculating on unknown events, in a few short weeks, the Kindle App - per the rules, would be forced off the iOS platform.

The other thing is - this just makes a lot of sense - this could be a billion dollar business for Amazon. So there is little doubt left they are going this direction.

Steve Jobs said people don't read any more - and then he claimed he'd reinvent publishing - all marketing nonsense, the same as Amazon being focused on reading. They have their own App store - so c'mon - they are 'focused' on a lot of things.

Why?

Why is everybody and their little brother trying to do everything? We have more internet browsers than we need in the marketplace, we have too many mp3 players, too many laptops, too many "pads," too many cameras.

Can Bezos and crew come up with something new? I mean, can anyone really start from scratch and beat Apple at design and manufacture. Most confusing bunch I've ever seen. Google seems to be "doing it" just to do it. Samsung, sony, etc.

Only Amazon has a chance to be #2

Amazon has (or will eventually have) content in music, video, and apps, they have customer-facing retail experience, and now they have consumer electronics experience with Kindle. And let's not forget the hundreds of millions of customer accounts with credit card numbers.

Only Amazon has all the ingredients to provide customers with a great pad computing experience. Everyone else (other than Apple of course) is missing something. A Kindle-based pad would help to kill off the weaker competition (Xoom, Playbook, Chromebook, etc.)

How about...

Not with an IPS LCD or Super AMOLED, but rather a state of the art E Ink display. Great direct sunlight readability but with adequate illumination for bed time reading?

To substitute a book it would also need extremely long use between battery charges, or even better, the option to use disposable commonly found batteries. Want to keep it green? no problem just pop-in rechargeable NiMhs.

To parallel the "take everywhere" nature of paperbacks, how about sealing the whole thing so it is shock, dust, and at least splash proof? Would make for a great fishing companion, although camping and long walks on the beach would not faze it either...

No need for GSM connectivity - it's mainly a reading, not news/facebook/Tweeter thing. Low power bluetooth or WiFi will keep prices down and save batteries.

Cameras? Maybe as an add-on that plugs into the STANDARD USB port. Same for GPS or other niceties. Maybe create a special cavity with the standard USB set inside so as to add devices without having to take them off all the time...

Re: Why?

Can Bezos and crew come up with something new? I mean, can anyone really start from scratch and beat Apple at design and manufacture. Most confusing bunch I've ever seen. Google seems to be "doing it" just to do it. Samsung, sony, etc.

So, I guess the Kindle isn't good enough for you? You want them to come up with something completely from left field? Like what? Apple put a fancy interface on a smart phone. That wasn't "new" either. Nor was the iPad, which is just a big iPod touch, which is basically an iPhone without the phone.

They have the Kindle. It's a good ebook reader. And yet so many people complain "It doesn't do this..." "I can't do that". "I'd rather get a tablet because it's far more useful".

So he's listening to the critics/customers.

And now you're whining because he's listening to the critics/customers.